“Your Highness.” Qin Yan approached and bowed to Yan Chi.

Yan Chi waved his hand. “Are you heading back?”

Qin Yan nodded, and Yan Chi said, “I’d like Ninth Miss to stay and help with something.”

Qin Yan glanced at Qin Wan and naturally agreed, “Of course. Ninth Sister?”

Qin Yan looked at Qin Wan, who nodded and said, “Third Brother can go back first. His Highness will send someone to escort me home afterward.”

Qin Shuang gazed at Qin Wan with deep eyes for a moment. Since Qin Wan had spoken thus, Qin Yan naturally had no objections. He turned his gaze toward the stage and said, “Troupe Leader Qing Li—”

Having grown up in the capital and being immersed in noble circles for many years, Qin Yan was thoroughly familiar with the Shuang Qing Troupe. Now that something had happened to Qing Li, Qin Yan instinctively showed some concern.

“Dead. It appears to be an accident for now, though that’s not certain.”

Yan Chi answered decisively. As he looked up, he saw Pang Fu Liang approaching with a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue robe.

“Your Highness, Crown Prince of the Rui Prince—”

Before Pang Fu Liang could speak, the man beside him spoke first.

Yan Chi’s lips curved slightly. “I didn’t expect to meet Salt Commissioner Liu here.”

Standing beside Pang Fu Liang was Liu Ren Li, the Salt Transport Commissioner of the Two Lakes whom Pang Fu Liang had intended to introduce to Qin Yan. Liu Ren Li had already met with Qin Yan, and now he had come specifically to pay his respects to Yan Chi.

“It’s been many years since I’ve seen Your Highness. This official also didn’t expect to meet Your Highness here.”

Liu Ren Li was tall and thin, around forty years old, his complexion somewhat darker than Pang Fu Liang’s beside him. This made him appear somewhat haggard and aged, lacking Pang Fu Liang’s pampered dignity. However, compared to Pang Fu Liang, he carried more of the caution and shrewdness that came from navigating official circles. Before Yan Chi, he was exceedingly respectful.

“I came by imperial command, and besides, I haven’t seen Uncle Yu Prince for several years, so I made the trip. Is Commissioner Liu here specifically to congratulate the Yu Prince on his birthday?” Yan Chi’s tone was composed, somewhat distant yet noble, though without appearing overbearing.

Liu Ren Li immediately smiled and said, “Several years ago, I received help from the Yu Prince. Now that it’s His Highness’s birthday, and as I happened to be returning to the capital to report on official matters, I came by to offer my congratulations.”

Yan Chi nodded slightly, then glanced at Pang Fu Liang. Though Pang Fu Liang was called Lord Pang, he didn’t dare put on air before Yan Chi. He stepped forward and respectfully bowed, “Pang Fu Liang pays respects to Your Highness.”

A faint smile appeared on Yan Chi’s face. “Lord Pang, I’ve long heard your name. It’s rare to meet.”

“Your Highness is often on the northwestern frontier protecting our country. This humble one naturally had no opportunity to pay respects. If not for today, who knows when I might have had the chance to meet Your Highness.”

Yan Chi’s smile was faint, but even this was enough to give others an illusion of warmth.

Standing to the side with lowered eyes, Qin Wan, though not directly staring at Yan Chi, saw through him completely. If someone like Yan Chi, with his reputation as a “demon king” and his lofty status, met with low expectations from everyone, then even the slightest show of a smile would make others feel satisfied.

Yan Chi’s gaze swept between Pang Fu Liang and Liu Ren Li. “Lord Pang and Commissioner Liu…”

Pang Fu Liang glanced at Liu Ren Li and smiled, “This humble one and Commissioner Liu have some old friendship. Since he has come to Yu Province, I naturally must fulfill my duties as host.”

Yan Chi nodded, then turned to Qin Yan, “You may go first. I will send Ninth Miss over.”

Qin Yan nodded and cupped his hands in farewell before leaving with Pang Fu Liang’s group.

The guests under the warm pavilion had gradually departed, with Yu Prince’s heir Yan Zhi seeing them off one by one. Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan and said, “Come with me.”

Qin Wan responded and followed behind Yan Chi with Fu Ling.

Without any hesitation, Yan Chi led Qin Wan toward the courtyard behind the stage.

The Shuang Qing Troupe was large in number. Besides Qing Li and her disciples being the main performers, there were many martial arts instructors, musicians, and various workers. An entire row of three buildings was filled with their belongings.

The area around the stage was surrounded by Yu Prince Manor’s guards. When Yan Chi brought Qin Wan to the small courtyard, they saw Yan Li discussing something with Yu Province’s Prefect Wang Huai Yu. Yan Li turned and called out “Seventh Brother” upon seeing Yan Chi, but quickly noticed Qin Wan and Fu Ling following behind. His brows furrowed, and his expression became somewhat playful.

At the same time, Wang Huai Yu came forward to greet them. “Your Highness…”

Yan Chi looked at Wang Huai Yu and asked, “What happened?”

Wang Huai Yu hurriedly replied, “Just now, a female instructor from the Shuang Qing Troupe checked and said the mechanism in the back had been tampered with, which is why Master Qing Li was hit by the arrow.”

Yan Chi’s brows furrowed slightly, and Wang Huai Yu said, “Your Highness, please come this way—”

Wang Huai Yu had been Yu Province’s prefect for two years. Though Yu Province was Yu Prince’s fief, it remained under imperial control. Moreover, Yu Province was prosperous in both agriculture and commerce, making it a lucrative post. As the local magistrate, he naturally was quite familiar with the Yu Prince Manor. Thus, he was among the earliest to arrive for the birthday celebrations today. However, he never expected such chaos to occur at Yu Prince’s birthday banquet. If it were just a murder case, that would be one thing, but for it to happen at Yu Prince’s birthday celebration, witnessed by so many officials and nobles, one can imagine the consequences. As the prefect of Yu Province, this case fell squarely on his shoulders, putting him under immense pressure.

Yan Chi didn’t immediately move forward, instead turning to call Qin Wan, “Come with me.”

Seeing Qin Wan nod, Yan Chi then proceeded forward.

As soon as Yan Chi approached, the people standing in small groups all knelt again.

Because someone had died, both the Shuang Qing Troupe members and the manor guards wore solemn expressions. Qin Wan noticed several young women from the troupe still had red eyes. She composed herself and followed Yan Chi and Wang Huai Yu to the area behind the stage.

“Mulian Saves His Mother” was a grand performance, not only requiring many performers but also featuring very realistic stage settings. One performance used nearly ten different backdrops, and the mechanism Wang Huai Yu wanted to show Yan Chi was behind the backdrop wall.

“Your Highness, this is where the arrow-shooting mechanism was located. The mechanism was set up beforehand, and Master Qing Li set it up personally. Moreover, due to the connection with the movements, almost all generations of Shuang Qing Troupe masters have used the same mechanism settings. Therefore, someone just discovered that the mechanism had been tampered with.”

The mechanism Wang Huai Yu referred to was a long box fixed to the backdrop wall, with the arrow slot already prepared in the wall. Wang Huai Yu called out, and two Yu Prince Manor guards took down the box. One of them took out a key to open it, revealing a complex set of geared mechanisms inside.

“Just now, that instructor said all the gears inside were preset, and moving the gears would change the timing and angle of the arrow’s release. Your Highness, please look, this smallest gear has a mark from long-term wear, but now this mark has shifted one inch to the left, indicating that this gear was recently turned.”

Yan Chi looked for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Who discovered this?”

“It was this commoner.”

Before Wang Huai Yu could answer, a clear voice responded.

Qin Wan and Yan Chi both turned to see a young woman in white kneeling not far away. Her eyes were slightly red and her face tear-stained, showing she had just been crying. Seeing Yan Chi look over, the young woman stepped forward and knelt in greeting.

“This commoner Qing Xian pays respects to Your Highness…”

Yan Chi looked at her for a moment. “What is your relationship to Qing Li?”

“I am her disciple. Master Qing Li was my teacher.”

Qing Xian kept her head lowered. Qin Wan could see she was one of the performers who had sung “Golden Branch Offering Birthday Wishes” and “Meeting at the Celestial Bridge.” The white dress she wore was her Weaving Maiden costume, though her stage makeup had been removed, and her black hair was half-bound in a topknot with the rest falling loose over her shoulders.

“Do you also know how to perform ‘Mulian Saves His Mother’?”

Yan Chi’s voice was stern. Qing Xian lowered her head even further.

However, she immediately replied, “This commoner does. Master taught me long ago. Sometimes she would let me perform it elsewhere, but today being Yu Prince’s birthday celebration, Master performed personally, yet unexpectedly…”

Yan Chi glanced at the mechanism box. “You discovered this?”

Qing Xian nodded, “Yes, this commoner just discovered it.”

Yan Chi narrowed his eyes for a moment. “Who else understands this mechanism?”

“Besides this commoner, my senior sister, Senior Sister Qing Lan, understands it.”

As she spoke, Qing Xian unconsciously looked back. Just as she finished speaking, they saw a tall woman dressed in male clothing emerge from the courtyard gate – it was the “Cowherd” from “Meeting at the Celestial Bridge.”

“This commoner Qing Lan pays respects to Your Highness.”

Though both were disciples, while Qing Xian’s eyes were red and her face covered in tears, this Qing Lan who came out appeared much more composed. She merely looked severe, showing little grief.

“You also know how to operate this mechanism? You can also perform ‘Mulian Saves His Mother’?”

Hearing this, Qing Lan nodded, “Yes, this commoner knows.”

Yan Chi turned to look at Wang Huai Yu beside him. “How was this box stored?”

Wang Huai Yu didn’t speak but beckoned, and a middle-aged man kneeling nearby came forward. Wang Huai Yu then said, “This is Yang Ying, the Deputy Leader of the Shuang Qing Troupe. He oversees all such matters for the troupe.”

Yang Ying wore a gray long robe and was around thirty years old, though his simple attire made him appear somewhat older.

After Wang Huai Yu finished speaking, Yang Ying lifted his robe and knelt. “Your Highness, this mechanism box and all the backdrops were delivered to the manor early this morning. Before the first performance began, the Troupe Leader inspected everything. This humble one truly doesn’t know how this happened, how it could…” Yang Ying’s eyes grew moist as he spoke.

Yan Chi frowned. “It was checked before the first performance? Was it not checked again between performances?”

Yang Ying hurriedly nodded. “Because all three performances today were quite demanding after the first performance began, we had few hands to spare. This box was installed on the backdrop wall halfway through ‘Meeting at the Celestial Bridge.'”

Yan Chi turned to look at Qin Wan, their eyes meeting, both flashing with understanding.

This meant that someone had tampered with the box between the start of the first performance and halfway through “Meeting at the Celestial Bridge.”

“Where was the box kept?” Yan Chi asked again.

Yang Ying turned and pointed to the left-wing room in the courtyard. “In the left wing. This box being a crucial mechanism, it was kept in the southernmost part.”

Yan Chi nodded. “Was anyone assigned to guard it during this time?”

Yang Ying suddenly became hesitant. “No… no one…”

Seeing Yang Ying seem to be holding something back, Yan Chi’s gaze turned cold. “No one? Concealing information makes you an accomplice!”

Yang Ying trembled and immediately said, “This humble one dares not deceive Your Highness. Indeed, there was no guard because the left wing was Qing Lan’s dressing room. She wasn’t in the first performance, so she was waiting there the whole time.”

Qing Lan, kneeling nearby, immediately straightened her back. “I was indeed there, but I never touched Master’s things!”

As she spoke, Qing Lan turned to look at Yang Ying with blazing eyes.

Yang Ying wore a troubled expression. “Why are you so agitated? I’m just telling the truth, I didn’t say it was you.”

Yan Chi looked at Qing Lan with narrowed eyes. “So you were there when the box was placed in the room? And stayed until you left for the second performance?”

Qing Lan held her neck stiff but had to nod. “In response to Your Highness, that’s correct.”

“Did anyone else enter during that time?” Yan Chi asked.

“Only the maids bringing tea entered…”

Qing Lan’s voice was already trembling, making her sound frightened.

“Did you see them touch the box?”

Qing Lan clenched her fists and pressed her lips together tightly, refusing to speak.

Yan Chi looked at her for a moment, then turned to Yang Ying. “After she left the room, did anyone else enter?”

Yang Ying hurriedly shook his head. “No one. I remember clearly because the third performance required almost everyone, so when the second performance began, the Troupe Leader had everyone waiting in the wings. Only a few workers remained to move the fire bridge and such. The box was taken out and installed on the backdrop wall after the fire bridge was ready.”

As he spoke, Yang Ying looked back toward the crowd’s edge. “Those three were the ones who moved it.”

At his indication, those three immediately prostrated themselves. Yan Chi asked, “Did you three enter and leave together? Did you see anyone go in?”

Among the three, only one was slightly bolder and shook his head in response. “Your Highness, we didn’t see anyone enter or leave. The courtyard was empty then, and the door was locked. When we three entered together, the lock on the box was intact, and we took it out and installed it directly.”

Yan Chi nodded. “Who has keys to this lock?”

“Only this humble one and the Troupe Leader.” Yang Ying quickly answered.

Wang Huai Yu added from the side, “It was Yang Ying who just used the key to open the box.”

Yan Chi glanced at the ring of keys in the manor guard’s hands. The numerous keys clearly showed that Yang Ying managed all the Shuang Qing Troupe’s locks. “Did you enter the courtyard earlier?”

At this question, Yang Ying’s face showed distress. “This humble one was outside the whole time and never went in. Qing Lan can testify to this. After Qing Lan came out, we were extremely busy, and I had to keep watch constantly.” He looked around at the others. “They can all vouch for me.”

Yan Chi’s gaze swept over the crowd, and indeed, many people began nodding silently.

“Were your keys ever out of your possession?”

Yang Ying hurriedly waved his hands. “Never. There are many keys here, and I wouldn’t dare lose them. When the Prefect wanted to open the box, I took the keys from my breast pocket.”

Wang Huai Yu nodded. “That’s correct.”

Yan Chi then turned his gaze. “What about Qing Li’s keys?”

At this question, Yang Ying’s eyes shifted, and he said, “Usually, the Troupe Leader keeps them on her person, but when she needs to change costumes for a performance, she puts them in her bundle.”

Yan Chi remained silent, only looking at Wang Huai Yu, who quickly turned to Yang Ying and said, “Lead the way, I’ll take a look.”

Yang Ying stood and led Wang Huai Yu into the courtyard. Yan Chi remained in place, watching Qing Lan with her rigid back.

The origins of the Shuang Qing Troupe went back over forty years. At that time, two remarkable performing artists emerged in the south, both exceptionally skilled with heavenly voices and fairy-like beauty, widely beloved by the common people. While others might have become jealous rivals, these two somehow became sworn sisters and founded a troupe together. Since both their stage names began with “Qing,” the troupe became known as Shuang Qing. Moreover, their disciples’ names also began with “Qing,” and the troupe had gone through at least five or six leaders since then.

Yan Chi observed Qing Lan, noting her clenched fists and tightly pressed lips. Though she appeared righteously indignant, Yan Chi couldn’t tell if it was an act. It would be easy for an actor to deceive people, and she seemed to show no grief over Qing Li’s death, which seemed rather unreasonable.

“Seventh Brother, do you suspect someone stole Qing Li’s keys and tampered with them?” Yan Li, who had been watching Yan Chi’s investigation from the side, suddenly stepped forward. He glanced at Qin Wan and added, “Could someone have made a copy of the key?”

“Impossible.” Suddenly, Qing Xian’s voice rang out again.

Yan Li and Yan Chi looked over to see Qing Xian saying, “These keys can’t be copied elsewhere. They’re passed down through the Shuang Qing Troupe, with unique shapes and materials.”

Qing Xian didn’t dare raise her head, the tear stains still visible on her face.

Yan Li raised an eyebrow. “Well, that eliminates one possibility.”

Yan Chi nodded but didn’t respond. He just watched the courtyard entrance, wondering if Qing Li’s keys would be found…

Just then, Wang Huai Yu walked out of the courtyard with a grim expression. “Your Highness, the keys weren’t in Master Qing Li’s bundle…”

Yan Li let out a soft “Ah!” “Were they stolen?!”

Wang Huai Yu shook his head. “We don’t know yet.”

Yan Chi’s lips tightened. “Search — search everyone’s bundles and persons—”

Qing Li kept the keys on her person until she had to change her performance when she put them away. The keys disappeared during this time. Someone took the keys, opened the lock, tampered with the mechanism, and then what?

In such a short time, the keys were likely still hidden somewhere nearby.

Wang Huai Yu left to carry out the order. Yan Chi swept his gaze over everyone, seeing Qing Xian wiping her tears while Qing Lan still knelt with a straight back.

Yan Chi stepped back two paces and said quietly to Qin Wan, “What do you think?”

Qin Wan’s gaze swept over Qing Lan’s face. “This Qing Lan seems to be hiding something. Her emotions are so openly displayed — either she’s the culprit unafraid of suspicion, or she killed with resolve to die.”

Yan Chi nodded slightly, and suddenly Qin Wan’s brows furrowed.

Since her arrival, Prince Yan Li’s gaze had been fixed on her. Qin Wan didn’t know what he intended, but remembering what Yan Chi had said, could Yan Li know about her relationship with Yan Chi?

Seeing Qin Wan look over, Yan Li’s smile widened. “Miss Qin, do you remember me?”

Given the earlier gravity of the situation, Qin Wan hadn’t had a chance to pay her respects. Now that Yan Li had spoken, she naturally couldn’t pretend not to notice. She curtsied, “Your Highness—”

Yan Li walked forward with a smile, looking her up and down. “Why has Miss Qin come here? Someone just died — with your delicate beauty, wouldn’t you be frightened by death?”

Yan Li meant both to show concern and express his genuine thoughts — what woman wouldn’t be scared of seeing death?

After he spoke, Qin Wan just smiled slightly without further comment.

Yan Li was puzzled and looked at Yan Chi, only to see him maintaining a serious expression, not even bothering to speak.

Yan Li’s eyes darted thoughtfully. Given Yan Chi’s personality, he should have considered this aspect, so why didn’t he say anything to Qin Wan? And if he cared for her, why wouldn’t he want to protect her?

While Yan Li was lost in these doubts, there was a sudden movement from the courtyard. Yan Chi looked over intently to see Wang Huai Yu striding out with his men. Yan Chi immediately noticed a key in his palm.

“Where was it found?” Yan Chi quickly asked in a stern voice.

Wang Huai Yu glanced at Qing Lan’s back. “In the left wing, in Miss Qing Lan’s bundle.”

“Impossible—” Qing Lan, who had been sitting straight-backed, suddenly turned around, her face deathly pale. “Impossible, I didn’t do it, I didn’t steal Master’s keys…”

Qing Lan’s reaction was extreme, but the other Shuang Qing Troupe members were stunned. Most looked at her in astonishment, seemingly unable to believe she was the culprit, though a few wore complex expressions with hints of hatred in their eyes.

“It wasn’t me! It wasn’t—”

Qing Lan called out twice to Wang Huai Yu, but seeing his expressionless face, she turned and crawled two steps on her knees toward Yan Chi. “Your Highness, it truly wasn’t this commoner, it wasn’t…”

Qing Lan’s face was snow-white, her lips bloodless. She stared intently at Yan Chi, and seeing no reaction from him, despair began to fill her eyes. Yan Chi then spoke, “How do you explain these keys?”

Qing Lan shook her head. “Someone else put them there, someone is trying to frame me!”

As she spoke, she looked around, her gaze sweeping past Qing Xian but not directly accusing anyone. She just turned back to Yan Chi, “I didn’t steal them…”

She kept switching between “this commoner” and “I,” but Yan Chi didn’t bother to point it out. However, hearing her pale explanations, he didn’t believe her. He just looked up at Wang Huai Yu. “Prefect Wang, handle it as you see fit. We now have a direction.”

Yan Chi hadn’t forgotten his position as Imperial Inspector, and his habit of investigating cases with Qin Wan in Jin Province had led him to question this case. But now with the keys found and numerous witnesses, it shouldn’t be difficult to investigate.

Wang Huai Yu immediately responded, “Yes, please rest assured, Your Honor. I guarantee there will be no mistakes.”

As they spoke, a group of yamen runners approached from the outer courtyard. They must have been summoned by Wang Huai Yu after the incident occurred. Wang Huai Yu stepped forward and gave some instructions to someone who appeared to be a constable, after which the runners took away both “Qing” sisters and Yang Ying, among others.

“Everyone needs to go to the yamen for questioning. Clean up this place.”

An elderly coroner from the Yu Province yamen had also arrived. After Wang Huai Yu gave some instructions, the coroner headed toward Qing Li’s undisturbed body on the stage. Seeing the coroner’s arrival, Qin Wan knew she wouldn’t be needed.

Back in Jin Province, it had been because Xu He was young and inexperienced. Outside Jin Province, Qin Wan naturally didn’t think she was more capable than experienced old coroners. Seeing this Yu Province coroner’s white hair, she suppressed her desire to examine the body. Yan Chi also noticed the coroner and didn’t say anything further.

There wasn’t much to collect from the stage. After Wang Huai Yu gave the order, the runners gradually led the Shuang Qing Troupe members away. Yan Li clicked his tongue beside them. “So solving cases is this simple?”

His gaze swept over Yan Chi and Qin Wan. “Seventh Brother, what are you going to do next?”

Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan. “Shall we go look at Qing Li?”

Qin Wan walked out a few steps, just enough to see the body lying on the stage through the entrance, where the Yu Province yamen’s elderly coroner was already examining it. She shook her head. “Let’s not.”

Each to their own profession — the old coroner had already begun the examination, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to interfere, especially given she had no official standing here. Qin Wan turned and said, “If needed, we can discuss later.”

Yan Chi nodded. “Very well.” After a pause, he added, “Then come with me.”

Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi for a moment, noting they were in public, and just nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Yan Li eagerly came closer. “Seventh Brother, where are you going?”

Yan Chi looked at Yan Li for a moment. “I see you’re interested in this case. Stay here and watch — consider it helping our elder brother.”

Yan Li clicked his tongue, his amber eyes rolling playfully. “Alright, alright, Seventh Brother, go ahead.”

Yan Li wore a silly smile, his eyes narrowed to slits. Yan Chi looked at him for a moment before turning to leave. Qin Wan curtsied, and Yan Li raised a hand to wave. “Miss Qin, see you next time, don’t forget me—”

Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly at his deliberately cute tone before she followed Yan Chi.

By now, most guests had dispersed from the manor. Yan Zhi was seeing off the last few guests while Yan Chi walked along the manor’s corridor, heading deeper into the compound. Qin Wan looked around, noticing they were getting further from the banquet area.

Fu Ling, following behind Qin Wan, was somewhat surprised. While she no longer suspected Yan Chi would harm Qin Wan, they seemed to be heading toward the inner courts, which felt somewhat strange to Fu Ling.

Qin Wan also noticed they were going further inside, so she asked, “What are we doing?”

“I have something to give you,” Yan Chi replied steadily. Qin Wan felt somewhat puzzled — was this another attempt to please her?

Thinking this, Qin Wan sighed inwardly. It probably was, especially since Fu Ling was still with her.

After another turn, a quiet courtyard appeared before Qin Wan. She suddenly understood – this must be Yan Chi’s residence in the Yu Prince Manor…

As she thought this, Yan Chi said, “This is where I stay. Come in.”

Qin Wan followed Yan Chi into the central courtyard and then directly into the main room. It was a guest quarter with only three wing rooms, but the interior was decorated with noble elegance, quite different from ordinary guest quarters.

Inside, Yan Chi turned left into the warm chamber, where a writing desk sat before the window with a bundle atop it.

Without a word, Yan Chi walked over and opened the bundle. “Take a look at these—”

Qin Wan didn’t know what Yan Chi wanted to show her and approached with curiosity, but when she looked, her pupils trembled slightly, then seemed to become fixed on what lay before her.

Inside the bundle were several books, not medical texts, but rather yellowed manuscripts.

Qin Wan’s heart beat uncontrollably, and for a moment she even held her breath.

They were just ordinary notebooks, yellowed with age, the corners of the pages somewhat damaged. There were only five or six volumes – if placed outside, ordinary people might not give them a second glance. But looking at them, Qin Wan felt her heart fill with bittersweet satisfaction. The handwriting was elegant and distinguished, every stroke intimately familiar to her. Qin Wan slowly stroked the pages – every stroke she had watched being written…

These were her father’s notebooks, written during his time as an official in Yu Province.

“You probably don’t know that Shen Yi once served as an official in Yu Province. He was a Verification Officer in the Yu Province Patrol Office.” Seeing Qin Wan’s barely contained emotion, Yan Chi explained gently. “I know you admire him, so when I came here I had people inquire about him. Sure enough, they found his notebooks still stored in the Patrol Office archives. For years these notebooks were required reading for everyone in the Patrol Office, but after his incident in the capital, these things became somewhat taboo. My men obtained them without much effort.”

Seeing Qin Wan staring fixedly at the notebooks without blinking, Yan Chi continued, “They contain records of case verifications from his time in Yu Province, with many notes on corpse examination and case deduction.”

The Patrol Office was responsible for verifying whether cases were handled justly and properly. Only after verification by Patrol Office officials could cases be concluded and reported to the court. Cases involving exile or imprisonment had to be sent to the capital for review by the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review.

Qin Wan certainly knew what was written on these pages. With her father at the Yu Province Patrol Office, there had never been a single wrongful case.

“Though the ‘Court of Judicial Review’s Revised Washing Away of Wrongs’ is already quite precise and detailed, these notebooks excel in recording every step meticulously, and all the cases are excellent examples not found in the official text. You’ll surely benefit greatly from reading them.”

As Yan Chi spoke steadily, Qin Wan kept her eyes lowered, taking a long time to calm her heart. When she “died” with her parents and later became the Ninth Miss, she never had the chance to see her father’s belongings. She had thought she might only find some of his works in the capital, but unexpectedly, she encountered her father’s notebooks here in Yu Province…

After leaving the Yu Province Patrol Office, her father had become Deputy Imperial Inspector of the Ding Xi Circuit, and later, due to his outstanding achievements, rose to become Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. In the west and north, her father was the “Clear Sky” in the hearts of all judicial inspectors. Many of his notebooks were left in the yamen where he had served to educate future officials. But Qin Wan knew that after the incident in the capital, these materials had become taboo – some were damaged or burned. Qin Wan didn’t know how much effort Yan Chi had expended in these few short days, but seeing these yellowed notebooks, even the hardest part of her heart softened slightly.

She meant to keep that biggest secret, but somehow Yan Chi was getting closer and closer to it. Qin Wan stroked the notebooks again. “What made you think to look for these?”

Qin Wan finally spoke, her voice slightly hoarse with emotion.

Yan Chi looked at her for a moment and smiled faintly. “When you previously spoke to me about Shen Yi, I had people investigate him. Even before reaching Yu Province, I planned to see if Shen Yi had left anything here. Who knew we’d find something? They were just delivered this morning, but it wasn’t convenient to bring them earlier. I’m glad you like them.”

Qin Wan suddenly looked up at Yan Chi, her clear eyes like streams, their crystalline surface reflecting Yan Chi’s face. In their depths, a spark of light seemed to struggle up from the deepest abyss, looking at him until his heart melted.

“What you wanted me to think about – I’ve thought it through.”

Qin Wan continued to gaze at Yan Chi without blinking.

Yan Chi stepped closer, raising his hand to stroke her cheek. “I know what you want, have known from the beginning. From now on, I will protect you completely, and you need only follow your heart’s desires in whatever you wish to do.”

Qin Wan’s breath caught lightly, and Yan Chi continued, “Since I started this, I’ve thought it through.”

After a pause, he leaned closer and said, “Besides, you don’t know how peerless your beauty and character are in my heart. You are naturally different from others because, among the countless women in the world, none could match even a fraction of you.”

Qin Wan’s lips moved slightly, but she couldn’t speak for a moment. Was she really that special?

She stared at Yan Chi’s brilliant almond eyes, and even as his lips descended, she hadn’t decided what to say. She only felt a bittersweet satisfaction spreading in her chest, a feeling that made her heart full, left a lingering sweetness, and unconsciously made her wrap her arms around Yan Chi’s waist. She had developed feelings and fallen in love, ultimately falling into the common path that most women in the world follow because of love. She needed certainty, needed to know the nature of the heart pressed against hers. Only then could she entrust herself completely, body and soul.

Qin Wan’s cool self-possession was habitual. With her personality, even in love, she could never throw herself moth-like into the flames of passion. But if she met the right person, she had all the steadfast determination and courage in her heart to give him deep affection, to give him her complete trust, to give him a lifetime together…

Yan Chi’s kiss gradually changed from tender entanglement to passionate heat. Just as Qin Wan felt her heart beating faster and faster, there came the slight sound of tiles being broken on the roof above them. Qin Wan started, and Yan Chi’s brows furrowed, but quickly, a sharp cry rang out—

“Ah! Bai Feng, it’s me, it’s me…”

“Prince Li? Why are you on Master’s roof…”

“Ah… haha… well… this spot is quite high, good for viewing the distance. Ahem, um, where’s Seventh Brother… I came to find him…”

“Master is discussing matters with Ninth Miss…”

“Haha, is that so? What matters? Can I join the discussion?”

“Alright, alright, I’ll come back later…”

The conversation outside made Qin Wan blush. Though Yan Li had agreed so readily earlier, he had followed them here – his purpose was obvious. When had he arrived? How much had he heard?

As Qin Wan was thinking this, Yan Chi pressed the back of her head.

“Continue—”